Skip to content
Ars Technica·

🔒Passengers Spoof Delta Flight 591 Wi-Fi With Evil Twin Attack

Cyber conference attendees jammed flight Wi-Fi with fake network

TL;DR

Onboard Wi-Fi was spoofed by passengers returning from DEF CON. A fake 'Delta WiFi Fast' hotspot harvested credentials for 30 minutes before being shut down.

Passengers aboard Delta flight 591 allegedly spoofed the onboard Wi-Fi with an evil twin attack, creating a fake network called 'Delta WiFi Fast'. The incident occurred one day after DEF CON concluded in Las Vegas. Pilots reported that passengers who attended the conference were able to jam the actual Wi-Fi and broadcast their own signal for about half an hour before it was disabled by Delta's crew. No emergency was declared, but the FBI is now investigating this unauthorized network activity.

Passengers Spoof Delta Flight 591 Wi-Fi With Evil Twin Attack — Ars Technica

Key Points

1

Delta flight 591 from Las Vegas to Atlanta saw a Wi-Fi spoofing incident on Aug 12, 2023

2

Pilots reported passengers at DEF CON were able to jam the onboard Wi-Fi for about half an hour

3

A fake 'Delta WiFi Fast' network was set up with a phishing landing page to harvest credentials

4

The actual Delta Wi-Fi service was disabled for 30 minutes during the flight, no emergency declared

5

FBI Atlanta bureau is aware of the incident and investigating potential unauthorized network activity

Why It Matters

This incident highlights vulnerabilities in onboard aircraft networks. Cybersecurity professionals returning from DEF CON demonstrated an 'evil twin' attack, showing how easily public Wi-Fi can be compromised. The FBI's involvement underscores the seriousness of such incidents for both airlines and passengers.

deltadef-conwi-fi-spoofingevil-twin-attackfbi

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

This incident highlights vulnerabilities in onboard aircraft networks. Cybersecurity professionals returning from DEF CON demonstrated an 'evil twin' attack, showing how easily public Wi-Fi can be compromised. The FBI's involvement underscores the seriousness of such incidents for both airlines and passengers.

What happened?

Onboard Wi-Fi was spoofed by passengers returning from DEF CON. A fake 'Delta WiFi Fast' hotspot harvested credentials for 30 minutes before being shut down.

Comments

Subscribe to join the conversation...

Be the first to comment

Enjoyed this article?

Get it daily. 7am. Free. Reads in 5 minutes.

Join 2,901 builders reading daily.

Also get